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Anthony Gismondi on Wine
Rigour and Whimsy Cowabunga! R.D.text
90POINTS
16½/20

Rigour and Whimsy Cowabunga! R.D. 2019

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaI do love adventuresome winemakers. This is my second time tasting this base wine, though this bottle carries the R.D. labelling, indicating it was Recently Disgorged and spent more time on lees than the first release. The initial release had six months on lees, whereas this saw 24. This trad-met was a fortunate turn of events, as the barrels set aside for a pét-nat finished ferment too quickly to be bottled, so this surprise was born instead. Cowabunga! 80% pinot blanc and 20% roussanne from West Kelowna and Osoyoos vineyards was whole cluster, native fermented, and fermented in used puncheon, where it remained for four months before heading to bottle for second ferment and the previous 24 months on lees. The extra lees time has given a toasty brioche note to this bone dry fizz, still with brisk, fine, persistent bubbles, but textured and shaped via pear skin, apricot fuzz, dusty stones, and kissed with an alluring elderflower on the saline finish. Well done.Tasted: 14 July 2022Tasted by: Treve RingPrices:
BC$38.00750mlwinery direct
Producer: Rigour & WhimsyDistributors: Juice Imports
The Living Vine
Blend: Pinot Blanc - Roussanne